Lantern.



J. WISE.

LANTERN.

APPLIOATION.IILED 1350,15, 190s.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

u MW J. WISE.

LANTERN.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.15,1908.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB WISE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LANTERN.

Application filed December 15, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ACOB WISE, a subject of the Czar of Russia,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Lanterns, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to lanterns, and particularly to signal lanternssuch as are used by railroad men. It is also capable of use onautomobiles, or in any other places where it is desirable to exhibitdifierent colored lights.

As hereinafter described and illustrated the invention is embodied in alantern which has three openings or windows for the display of thelight, and two of the windows are provided with means whereby they canbe readily changed from one color to another,

as for example from a white light to a green light on one side and froma white light to a red light on the other side. The colored glasses arecarried by swinging frames which can be instantly swung over in front ofthe window or windows desired.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in whichFigure l is a front elevation of the lantern; Fig. 2 is aside elevationthereof; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation thereof, one of the colored glassesbeing shown in inoperative position; Fig. 4t is a top plan view in theposition shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 55of Fig. 1, one of the colored glasses being swung back as in Fig. 3.

The body 6 of the lantern is provided with openings at the front and ateachside thereof and at the rear is shaped to form a reflector asindicated at 7. The glass 8 of the front opening is mounted in a ring 9which is hinged to open and close in any suitable manner. Each of theside openings is provided with a white glass 10 which is held in groovesat the sides of the opening and which may be removed or inserted throughan opening covered by a slide 11. The lamp is indicated at 12 and isinserted through an opening in the bottom of the lantern body and isremovably held in place by a spring catch 13, these parts not being ofspecial importance or significance in the structure of the lantern. Itis provided with a handle 14: at the top, and with a vent head 15. Atthe back it has a socket 16 whereby it may be mounted on a bracket ifdesired.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

Serial No. 467,604.

The front glass is protected by wires 17 fixed to the rim.

In addition to the glass above described, each of the side openings isprovided with a swinging window consisting of a frame 18 hinged as at 19to the rear edge of the case, the hinges being provided with springs 20which tend to close the window over the openings. Each window has afinger piece 21 whereby it may be taken hold of to open the same. Theglass 22 of the window is colored, on one side preferably green and onthe other side preferably red. As shown in Fig. 4c, the side windows areset somewhat obliquely so that they are not visible from the front. Theframe of each window is provided with a hooked projection 23 adapted tobe engaged by a catch 2% comprising a bend or offset formed in a pushrod 25, which has a finger piece 26 at the top. This push rod worksthrough an upper tubular guide 27 and into a lower tubular guide 28,which latter contains a spring 29 bearing upon the catch.

\Vhen the window is swung open the hooked piece 23 will snap over andengage the catch 24, and said window will be thereby held in openposition, against the rear part or back of the lantern body. When bothwindows are so swung open, the lantern will show white in all threedirec tions. To show a color, it is simply necessary to press the fingerpiece 26 on the desired side, or on both sides, and one 01' both of thewindows will, in consequence of the spring hinges, fly closed, and theside lights will then show the colors of the windows, the front lightremaining white.

The lantern will be found very useful as a signal lantern for railwaymen, and will commonly have the three colors used for signaling, white,green and red. \Vhite can be displayed by holding the lantern with thefront visible, and either of the other colors can be used by holding thelantern accordingly. IV hen there is no occasion to use the coloredlights, all three lights can be set white by swinging open the coloredwindows, but one or both of said colored windows can be instantly closedby the means above described whenever it becomes necessary to showcolored lights. IVhen used on an automobile or the like the front lightwill show white, and the colored windows will ordinarily be closed toshow green on one side and red on the other. It is common for railroadmen to have separate lanterns of d1fferent colors, but this isoblectionable, as 1t 15 often necessary to display a colored lightWithout delay, and when different lan terns are used there 1s apt to bemore or less" delay in obtaining a lantern otthe desired color. By thepresent invention, only one lantern is needed, and it is changeable, asdescribed, from one color to another, and Will therefore be found veryconvenient and serviceable.

I claim:

l. A lantern having front and side openings With glasses of one color,colored Windoivs hinged beside the side openings and provided with,spring hinges tending to close the same over said, openings, and catchesengageable With the Windows when they are open, to hold the same in openposition when desired.

2, A lantern having front and side light openings, colored Windowshinged at the rear edges of the side openings in position to swing openagainst the back of the lantern, the hinges having springs tending toclose the Windows over said openings, and spring catches on the baclcofthe lantern, engageable with said Windows to hold them in open positionWhen desired;

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JACOB. WISE.

\Vitnesses NELLIE FnL'rsKoo, WM. J. ROBINSON.

